26 February 2010
The dear wife of Geoffrey Botkin, Mrs. Victoria Botkin, has been a sweet encouragement to me and I have loved every moment that I have spent with her. She is a godly woman who spills over with gracious encouragement, a truly edifying woman to be around.
Now, you have the opportunity to spend time gleaning from her wisdom online! Mrs. Botkin will be sharing with other ladies via the internet:
- All about Eve
- All about Sarah
- About the Proverbs 31 wife
- About love
- How to help your husband love you
- How to become a wise woman
I do hope you will join us in learning from this wonderful Titus 2 example, by registering here! You can read more about these nine delightfully encouraging evenings here, which will begin this coming Monday.
(There are a couple giveaways right now for a free registration here {ends tonight} and here {ends this Lord’s Day}.)
“Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior,
not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,
so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands,
to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind,
being subject to their own husbands,
so that the word of God will not be dishonored.”
—Titus 2:3-5
24 February 2010
The Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls are on sale through February 28th! And, included in that sale is free shipping for all orders from the US!
20 February 2010
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.”
Psalm 139:23-24
13 February 2010
They’re small. They’re pies. And they’re oh-so-sweet! Just in time for Valentine’s day, you can make these delicious pastries for your family!
All it takes is pie dough, jam, and a little bit of powdered sugar (for extra beauty).
Begin by flouring the counter and rolling pin and flatten out the pie dough.
Using a cookie cutter, cut out hearts in the dough.
Lay out the cut pie dough on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Spoon strawberry jam onto the centers, being careful not to fill them too full.
Wet the edges of the dough with water and place a second piece of dough on top.
Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges.
Poke a fork into the middle of each little pie so that the heat can escape.
Bake at 425° F for 13-15 minutes, or until golden.
Perfectly golden on the bottom!
Sprinkle with powered sugar for extra beauty.
They are delicious and will probably disappear quickly!
The pie dough was extra flaky, making the perfect texture.
We decided that these are the cutest little desserts that we have ever made!
This idea can be easily adjusted for any holiday or celebration by changing the shape of the cookie cutter and type of jam/jelly/preserves used for the filling.
{Original idea from here.}
9 February 2010
“In the same way that God designed all of creation in its undeniable perfection and beauty, He handcrafted each girl’s situation with exquisite precision. He chose the exact parents, position, and opportunities that would best fulfill His purposes for her life and bring Him glory. . . continue reading.”
—Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin at Visionary Daughters
“I don’t think that any woman could prepare long enough to perfectly execute this list [in Titus 2:3-5]. But it is my duty to aim to follow this standard that God has set. . . . And what better way to practice being a keeper at home than to learn the ins and outs from my mother, who has wells of wisdom on the subject! And who could think of a better way to prepare to submit to a husband, whether he’s right or wrong, than to practice in a daughters relationship to her father? . . . continue reading.”
—Stephanie at In His Time
“It is when we create things for God’s sake that our work most clearly promotes His glory, rather than threatening to compete with it. Thus the true purpose of art is the same as the true purpose of anything: it is not for ourselves or for our own self-expression, but for the service of others and the glory of God.”
—Philip Graham Ryken in Art for God’s Sake
6 February 2010
Yes, stuffed French Toast. As if French toast wasn’t good enough—it just got better!
This morning my dear mother prepared this delightful dish! We ate it while listening to Mr. Botkin’s Saturday Morning Online Mentoring.
Stuffed French Toast
1 loaf French bread, cut into 8 diagonal slices (making very large slices)
1 cup homemade cream cheese (recipe below)
1/2 cup fruit preserves (we used peach)
5 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Cut a each thick bread slice almost in half by cutting from the top crust almost to the bottom crust, making a pocket. Be careful to not slice completely through the bread. Mix cream cheese and preserves in small bowl. Spoon cream mixture evenly into each pocket.
Beat eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon in a small bowl, until well mixed. Dip stuffed bread slices in egg mixture, making sure to let the excess drip off.
Spray griddle (our favorite!) or skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Cook bread slices over medium heat until golden brown, flip, and cook on other side.
For extra beauty, sprinkle each slice with powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup, fruits, and/or whipped cream, if desired. Makes 8 slices of delicious Stuffed French Toast!
Homemade Cream Cheese
(it’s as easy as can be!)
1 1/2 cups nonfat plain yogurt
Line strainer with cheese cloth. Place strainer in bowl, large enough to hold the drained liquid without touching the strainer. Let strain in refrigerator for 4-8 hours. Discard the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.
The homemade cream cheese is what is left in the strainer! You can do this the day before it is needed, and store the cream cheese in a container after being drained.
We all thought it tasted delicious! The filling was great, but I think we put a little too much in the pocket. Next time we’ll put in less, and it will be perfect!
2 February 2010
It is cold and gray outside. The sun can barely show its face. My thoughts are heavy.
The recent earthquake has left the nation of Haiti devastated. There are many children who are homeless and are in need of families. They have nothing aside from the clothes on their backs . . . and not all of them have even that.
But there is hope in the God that created them, in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The people of Haiti are in need. There is a strong team of men down there helping the orphans and people of Haiti. You can follow their trip to Rescue Haiti’s Children on Mr. Phillip’s Blog, Twitter, and Facebook. You can help them by giving a donation.
The world outside may seem bleak, but inside there are flowers blooming. A beautiful reminder that there is always hope in difficult times.
There is always hope in Christ.
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant:
if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
—Anne Bradstreet
